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The Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) has conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, for his role in transforming the global telecommunications landscape.
The award recognises Mittal's contributions to expanding connectivity across operators, governments, and businesses worldwide. This honour is bestowed on only a handful of industry leaders in the GSMA's history to recognise work that has left a defining mark on the global communications ecosystem. According to Airtel, the presentation took place at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The ceremony was attended by His Majesty Felipe VI, the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, and the President of Catalonia, Salvador Illa. Mittal is recognised as a visionary who built Bharti Airtel into one of the world's leading mobile operators. The company currently serves over half a billion customers across India and Africa, ranking among the top three mobile operators globally. Mittal previously served as the Chairman of the GSMA from 2017 to 2018. During his tenure, he championed policies to encourage investment and innovation while focusing on digital inclusion and connecting the unconnected. His previous accolades from the organisation include the GSMA Chairman's Award in 2008 and 2016. He was also felicitated at the Mobile World Congress in February 2019 in recognition of his chairmanship. On receiving the award, Sunil Bharti Mittal said, "I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition and sincerely thank the GSMA for this award. I accept it not only as a personal milestone, but as a tribute to India's telecom journey, the collective spirit of Bharti, and the rise of Indian telecom companies on the global stage. Equally the award reflects the progress of an industry that has connected billions and belongs to the customers we serve, the teams who built our institutions, and the partners who believe in the transformative power of connectivity." "Telecommunication is a force that expands opportunity, places essential services in the palm of every individual and unlocks human potential. Helping shape its evolution into a powerful accelerator of modern progress has been a privileged responsibility. As innovation accelerates, we will continue to work with our partners & stakeholders to ensure that growth advances equity and creates lasting opportunity for generations to come," Mittal noted. The Lifetime Achievement Award is a rare honour, bestowed only on select individuals whose leadership and innovation have left an enduring mark on the industry. (ANI)
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